Absorbent articles such as disposable diapers and incontinence briefs or undergarments absorb and contain body exudates. Such articles are intended to prevent body exudates from soiling, wetting, or otherwise contaminating clothing or other articles, such as bedding, that come in contact with the wearer. The most common mode of failure for such products occurs when body exudates leak out of the gaps between the article and the wearer's leg or waist. Fecal material that is not absorbed by the absorbent article can work its way past the gaps in the article in the legs or waist of the wearer.
Contemporary disposable diapers have a topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core, and elasticized leg or gasket cuffs generally formed from an elastic member enclosed between portions of the topsheet and backsheet which extend beyond the edges of the absorbent core. These elasticized leg or gasket cuffs present a barrier between the edge of the diaper and the wearer's contacting clothing, and in addition, provide a gasketing action about the legs of the wearer to maintain a seal about the leg and minimize gapping.
Disposable diapers may also be provided with barrier cuffs which inhibit fecal material or gushes of urine or liquids from soiling the wearer's clothing. The barrier cuffs restrain the free flow of this material to hold such material within the diaper. U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,246 issued May 10, 1988, to Lawson discloses an absorbent article having gasket and barrier cuffs.
Disposable diapers may also have an opening formed in a topsheet for receiving waste, as disclosed in the following references: GB Application 2,265,550A published Oct. 6, 1993 in the name of Tanji et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,672 issued Jan. 5, 1993 to Bruemmer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,159 issued Apr. 19, 1994 to Tanji et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,160 issued Apr. 19, 1994 to Igaue et al.
Disposable diapers can also include barriers and spacers for providing waste containment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,236 issued Dec. 15, 1992 to Dreir et al. discloses a spacer which is said to provide the advantage of reducing the amount of fecal material in the gluteal groove of the wearer. Above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,672 to Bruemmer et al. discloses a cleft block which is said to aid in preventing fecal material from moving up the cleft of the buttocks.
Disposable diapers may also have pockets or waistcaps for reducing the leakage of body exudates from the diaper waist region. Examples of such diapers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,677 issued Apr. 19, 1988, to Foreman, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,364 issued Jun. 25, 1991, to Robertson.
Despite the effectiveness of such pockets in containing waste material, it has been found that liquid and solid material can leak past the pocket and soil the wearer's clothing, under certain conditions. For instance, forces exerted on the pocket when the diaper is worn may cause the pocket to be pressed against the diaper topsheet, so that the pocket is not open to receive fecal matter. Moreover, the shape and construction of the pocket may promote gaps between the pocket cuff and the wearer's buttocks, thereby providing a leakage path for fecal matter in the absorbent article waist region.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article which has improved containment characteristics.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article having a pocket cuff which acts as a restraint against the leakage of body exudates from the waist region of an absorbent article.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article having a gluteal groove spacer disposed on a pocket cuff.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article having a pocket cuff extending intermediate barrier cuffs.
These and other objects of the invention will be more readily apparent when considered in reference to the following description and when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.